


Will You Be My Honey Byun?

by CallisaRose



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: 2/3 beta'd, Baker Sehun, Everyone Is Gay, Humor, I broke them up because I love them, Long Island, M/M, Minseok getting baked, Seaside love, Sehun's parents are suspiciously absent, Smut, Some recreational weed usage, THE BEST TROPE, This is basically a love note to long island. fight me, Whiteclaw summer, brief chanbaek, but also please don't, like they are mentioned but not characters?, not my first rodeo, oblivious idiots, please give them love, so what's my excuse?, the mods are literal angels, what is a heterosexual?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:20:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24037267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallisaRose/pseuds/CallisaRose
Summary: Sehun fell in love with Baekhyun one summer at a time. The scorching sand of the beach and the sweltering heat of his parents' bakery were the backdrop to their childhood. Now that they're nearly grown, will he muster the courage to confess?Or: An 84-year-old grandmother takes things into her own hands! At her disposal? Two idiots crossed in love, one super-buff stoner, 14 years worth of recon and a booth at the local Farmer's Market. Game on.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Oh Sehun, Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai, Kim Minseok | Xiumin/Zhang Yi Xing | Lay
Comments: 18
Kudos: 52
Collections: CASE–94: Round One





	Will You Be My Honey Byun?

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was written for the first round of the CASE–94 Fest for Oh Sehun.
> 
> So! Buckle up guys, gals, and non-binary pals and settle in for one hell of a ride! Just kidding. It's not that dramatic, but I do hope you enjoy it! Just a few things to clear up before we start!
> 
> 1- There's a flashback scene. It's marked by the ~~*~~ instead of ~~*~~*~~ (which is used for scene changes) and is in italics  
> 2- they're 21! I make Baek and Sehun the same age here. K? Cool. Baek is going into his last year at Yale. I don't care how old you decide anyone else is. Except grannie Byun. She's 84. I say that like ten times, so...  
> 3- Sehun's program at the CIA (Culinary Institute my friends, he's not a spy unless you want him to be) is 21 months but they missed the third summer because he had an externship for 18 weeks after. Cause that's what CIA's website told me would happen. I just rounded to 25 months cause explaining that in text ruined my groove.  
> 4- thank you to my beta, L, who hauled in last minute to help me be ready to submit this. Any remaining mistakes are my own  
> 5- Prompter!! Thank you so much. I hope it's to your liking. I saw this prompt and immediately knew I had to write it.  
> 6- The mod of this fest is such a wonderful, lovely, supportive person. Please give them all your love  
> 7- Sorry there are so many notes. PLEASE ENJOY AND I LOVE YOU FOR READING

The hamlet of Amagansett, Long Island was sleepy and quiet 8 months of the year. From mid-May to early September, however, its proximity to The Hamptons overran the beaches with screaming children, sunburned teenagers, and exasperated adults. For locals it was a mix of agony and amusement, with the added incentive that most businesses had to make enough money off of the summer tourist rush to supplement their income during the rest of the year. 

For Sehun Oh, the summer meant chasing after his friend, Baekhyun. They met as children, when Baekhyun had begun visiting his grandmother during school vacations so that his parents didn’t have to pay for childcare or camps. He lived in Queens and went to a private school in Manhattan. As the only other Korean family in Suffolk county, the Oh’s went to dinner at Mrs. Byun’s house to welcome her grandson into their family. Baekhyun had been a bit shy, but sweet. 

Mrs. Byun helped the Oh family run their stand at the local Farmers Market, while Sehun’s parents managed the bakery and its storefront. That first summer, the boys had alternated their days playing hide and seek amongst the stalls of the market and decorating the discounted cupcakes and cookies that looked too irregular to sell for full-price. 

As the years went on, the days at the bakery became weeks spent at the beach, hours spent skateboarding up and down the residential streets, and nights staring up at the stars from the bluffs. They hunted for buried treasure, the Kraken, and pirate ships. As they grew older, they made obstacle courses and took bets over which suburban mothers would lose track of their children on the long stretches of the beach. Once they were in high school, they took over the booth at the Farmer’s Market for Mrs. Byun. She used her freedom over the summers tending to her garden and bringing lunch to the boys each day.

They talked about anything and everything. When they were 11, Sehun told Baekhyun that he thought he was gay. At 13, Baekhyun had broken down from the pressure he felt from his parents to end up at an Ivy League school. Sehun let him cry into his favorite hoodie, uncaring of the snot and tears left on his shoulder. The summer they were 14, Sehun’s first boyfriend had outed him to the whole school on the last day, all because Sehun broke up with him. Baekhyun had held him close and pet through his hair until he stopped shaking. When they were 15, Baekhyun had told Sehun he was pansexual. They bought him a flag from Amazon and doused it in glitter when it arrived. By the time they were 17, Sehun realized he was completely, undeniably, and unconditionally in love with Baekhyun. He didn’t tell him. 

Baekhyun got into Yale. The summer after high school graduation, he had a manic sort of glee in his eyes every time he considered his future. He was going to study Political Science and Government on his way to becoming a lawyer. Sehun had been accepted to the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He was going to get an associate’s degree in Baking and Pastry. He wanted to offer the increasingly picky tourists higher end products to keep them coming back. The family bakery had been struggling over the last few years. It seemed ironic to him that he would be moving to New York City right as Baekhyun moved away. 

Because Sehun’s program was 25 months, they wouldn’t spend the summer together again for three years. He relished every moment together, but never had the courage to tell Baekhyun how he felt. 

~~*~~*~~

Sehun finished his program and externship in what felt like minutes or decades depending on the day. He had several job offers in the city, a huge honor. He had declined them all in favor of helping his parents run the bakery. He had assumed growing up in a bakery would have given him an edge, but he quickly realized that nearly everyone in the program had a similar background to his or years of baking for fun. 

He managed to see Baekhyun several times when he came home from school over Thanksgiving and Winter break. Baekhyun was doing well. He had managed to balance his social nature with his academic responsibilities. 

Sehun was able to get away a few weekends over the summer to go home and chase Baekhyun up and down the beach like they were still children. They spent New Year’s together Baekhyun’s freshman year. Baekhyun spent half the night glued to his phone, the rest of it crying to Sehun that his crush wouldn’t ever like him back. Apparently the boy was straight. Sehun held his friend close and did his best to hide his own breaking heart. 

He had hoped that the time and distance between them would help him get over his infatuation, but he should have known better. Baekhyun had captured his heart in a series of summers, there was no reason that a handful of seasons would change that. Luckily, he hadn’t heard Baekhyun mention anyone else since that New Year’s Eve. Sehun wasn’t naïve, he knew Baekhyun likely dated and hooked up with people at school. He was just relieved that there was no one worth mentioning. As long as they remained fleeting, Sehun held on to hope. 

After graduating from his program at the CIA, Sehun returned home. Mrs. Byun joined his parents for a ‘welcome home’ dinner. She happily indulged him with stories from Baekhyun’s last few summers staying with her, and she took great care to emphasize how lonely he’d seemed without Sehun around. He knew she’d noticed his feelings for Baekhyun years ago. He didn’t mind, she was like family to him. Having her approval meant more than he could say. 

Over the next year, he resolved to confess to Baekhyun. It was unlikely that he would be able to spend his summers in Amagansett after graduating the following year and Sehun couldn’t stand to be _that idiot_ who just let the man he loved leave without ever knowing.

~~*~~*~~

Baekhyun was not alone. Sehun had gone with Mrs. Byun to pick him up in Southampton. Only, when he had his bag, he handed it to the boy beside him who dropped his head for a kiss. He wasn’t sure if it was him or Mrs. Byun who gasped, but he felt like he’d been punched in the gut.

“He didn’t tell me, Sehun, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

Sehun took a deep breath in, let himself feel devasted for a few moments more, and exhaled. When he opened his eyes, he let his behind-the-counter smile slide into place. He accepted the squeeze to his hand from Mrs. Byun, then they stepped out of the car together. 

“SEHUN!” Baekhyun shrieked, leaving the stranger to struggle behind him, balancing their things in his arms. Baekhyun slammed into him, then moved to hug his grandmother, kissing her on the cheek. The boy ambled forward, a goofy grin on his face. He looked sweet. 

“Oh, this is Chanyeol!” Baekhyun’s eyes lit up when he turned, smiling up at the boy. 

“Hi Mrs. Byun, it’s really nice to meet you!” Chanyeol dropped their bags into the trunk and turned to shake Mrs. Byun’s hand. “And you must be Sehun, Baek has told me so much about you! I can’t wait for you guys to show me around!” He was beaming around at everybody. He seemed like a very cheerful person. It was gross. 

~~*~~*~~

Chanyeol was, indeed, a cheerful person. When they had dinner with Sehun’s parents, he was perfectly polite. When they went to the Clam Bar for lobster rolls and steamers he was appropriately impressed. When they took over the first weekend’s Farmer’s Market shift, he was charming and his grin grew wider with every sale they made. After an hour Sehun worried his face would split in half. After three, he started praying it would. 

The worst thing about Chanyeol was that he seemed to be a genuinely good person. Sehun wasn’t a people pleaser by any means, but he found it exceptionally hard to hate Chanyeol when the guy seemed to be completely perfect. He was bitter, not a dick. 

When Mrs. Byun asked for a morning with just Baekhyun, Chanyeol begged Sehun to let him help out at the bakery. Sehun would have refused, but the puppy eyes were just way too effective. Plus, his traitorous parents leapt at the chance to have an extra set of hands. Sehun had worked out a schedule to be a bit less involved this summer, so he could be with Baekhyun. Which left his parents a bit more stressed than they’d been since he’d returned. 

So the following morning, Sehun found himself teaching Chanyeol to separate eggs. He was making angel food cakes to be sold by the slice, and Chanyeol was doing his best to prevent yolks from breaking. His hands were way too big and unpracticed for the delicate task, but he was trying so earnestly that Sehun let him carry on. Once he had the whites he needed, he gently nudged Chanyeol to go make them coffee- folding sifted flour into whipped up egg whites was a bit beyond Chanyeol’s skill set. They made omelets with the eggs Chanyeol failed to separate, and Sehun taught him to feather the icing on the sugar cookies. 

Working in the back was Sehun’s favorite. He got to lose himself in the craft he adored, and he didn’t need to patiently explain why their gluten free selection was preorder or first-come, first-served. 

“I get why Baek raves about this place so much,” Chanyeol said around a mouthful of omelet. 

Sehun snorted, raising his eyebrow. Egg dishes weren’t exactly on their menu.

“No,” Chanyeol chuckled, “I mean. It’s just so easy to be relaxed here. Like you’re busy but it feels peaceful watching you work. You’re so chill about it. I could see you dying every time I broke a yolk, but you never really let it phase you. _And_ you made me a pretty bomb breakfast from it.” 

Sehun laughed, “Baekhyun used to try to help me when we were in high school. You breaking a few yolks is nothing on the havoc he wreaked.”

~~*~~

_“Sehunnie, I need help!”_

_Sehun sighed and looked over to Baekhyun and the molds he’d been instructed to fill. Sehun had tempered the chocolate himself. There wasn’t much Baekhyun should have been able to ruin. Thankfully these were just a present for Mrs. Byun for letting them bail on Farmer’s Market duty so they could up to the North Fork for a weekend. One of Sehun’s older friends from school got a job at a vineyard near Southold and they had plans to get spectacularly drunk three days in a row off of free wine. Their families thought they were going up to fish._

_Baekhyun was covered in chocolate. There were uneven globs painting the molds and chocolate dripped from the counter onto the floor. He had somehow managed to get some in his hair and on his cheek and neck. Sehun wanted to die. In a weaker moment, he’d considered what he and Baekhyun could do pouring chocolate over one another but… well, this was just messy. Fantasy ruined. And so was this batch of chocolate shells._

_He kind of wanted to dump the rest of the ruined chocolate on his friend but knew Baekhyun would see it as a declaration of war. The bakery kitchen looked messy enough already. He hip-checked Baekhyun towards the sink and cleaning supplies._

_“Clean this disaster up, I’ll do it.”_

_“But I wanna help, Hun!”_

_“Cleaning is helpful, especially when you made the mess.”_

_Baekhyun pouted but started washing the molds out so they’d be clean for Sehun in a few minutes._

~~*~~

“Yeah,” Chanyeol smiled, taking their plates to the sink. “Baekhyun is awful in a kitchen, I learned that right away. He ruined boxed mac and cheese on our second date.”

Sehun wasn’t surprised. He had a theory that Baekhyun could ruin Cup Noodles and pre-sliced cheese if given the chance. 

“He talks a lot about you too.”

Sehun flinched internally where he was waiting for the passionfruit curd to thicken on the stove. _Chanyeol doesn’t know. Stop being weird._ He smiled and glanced back to where Chanyeol was perched on a barstool, letting his legs swing. 

“He’s my best friend, I’d be a bit offended if he didn’t.”

Chanyeol’s smile slipped a bit, eyebrows furrowing. Sehun found he didn’t like it when Chanyeol didn’t look happy. It felt like seeing a kicked puppy. “He didn’t tell you about me though, did he?”

“What? I mean, no, but that doesn’t mean anything. We don’t really talk about our love lives, you know? He never tells me about his relationships, and I don’t tell him about mine. It’s just, we don’t talk as much when it isn’t summer. You know?” Sehun babbled, glossing over the fact he’d never had a relationship to tell Baekhyun about in the first place. Chanyeol looked like he was trying to understand string theory.

“But why not? If someone makes you happy, wouldn’t you want him to know?”

Sehun shrugged, stirring the butter into the curd. “I guess we just haven’t ever felt like anyone was permanent enough to tell each other about? But he brought you here, so that has to mean something, right?” 

He felt awful admitting it aloud. In truth, he’d realized it the second he’d seen them kiss getting their bags from the Jitney. If Baekhyun liked someone enough to bring them here for the summer, Sehun may as well kiss his chances goodbye. If only his heart was that realistic. 

“I guess. I just… Mrs. Byun didn’t have the bigger room prepared for us or anything. It really felt like I was an afterthought in all of this. We’ve been together for six months and he invited me two months ago and he couldn’t even bother telling her to expect me?”

“You know him, Chanyeol. He’s just all-in for whatever he’s doing in the moment. I’m actually surprised he’s so good in school. I’ve never seen him in a class, so I always assumed he was a bit more focused there somehow.”

To his surprise Chanyeol laughed. It was a booming, infectious thing. Sehun wanted to whack him with the wooden spoon he was using to strain the curd through a sieve. At least he was smiling again. It felt more natural, but Sehun still kind of hated how easily his mood flipped back to cheerful.

“We actually met in class. That stupid obligatory foreign language proficiency requirement? We both took Korean. He looks a bit like he’s in pain when he focuses too hard, and I just thought he kept showing up to class hungover?”

Despite himself, Sehun chuckled. He could actually picture it. He had tried teaching Baekhyun to smooth the icing on a cake so that they could do mirror glazes once. Baekhyun had looked like he was extremely constipated until he frowned and plopped down on the floor. He’d then pouted and whined until Sehun had scraped his excess icing off for him. Predictably, he’d still ruined the glaze.

“Anyway,” Chanyeol continued, “one day I brought him some Gatorade and Pediasure and when I explained why, he downed the Gatorade and tossed the empty bottle at my head. A week later he agreed to go out with me.”

It was cute. Baekhyun deserved someone who would bring him stupid hangover remedies. He couldn’t blame Chanyeol for beating him to it. He honestly wasn’t sure what it meant that Baekhyun hadn’t warned his grandmother that Chanyeol was coming. It could mean he didn’t care, but he couldn’t see Baekhyun being that mean. Spending the summer together was kind of a big step. If Baekhyun was indifferent, that didn’t seem fair. 

“Here, you can help with this part,” Sehun said, handing Chanyeol the bowl with the whipped cream ingredients and the hand mixer. He moved to put the curd in the fridge and get the cakes from the oven. 

While the cakes cooled upside down in their tins _But won’t they fall out like this??_ he and Chanyeol chatted and Sehun threw together a puff pastry dough. He knew his mom had wanted to make palmiers to sell once the breakfast hours were over, but she’d run out of time before they opened. If he laminated the dough while he was back here, she should be able to finish them off without much extra stress. 

By the time Baekhyun skipped into the kitchen with one of Mrs. Byun’s garden flowers stuck behind each ear, Sehun and Chanyeol were polishing off the lunch Chanyeol had cobbled together. He threw their swimsuits at them and they headed off for another afternoon at the beach. 

~~*~~*~~

“Do you like Chanyeol?”

Sehun blinked his eyes open and rolled over on his towel. It was the first week of June and tourist season had officially begun. They’d snagged enough room for their towels and a couple umbrellas near the bluffs. Chanyeol was in town picking up lunch and some Whiteclaws. It was too hot out for heavy drinking, but a slight buzz on the beach was heaven on earth. 

“Yeah,” Sehun yawned. It wasn’t even July yet why was he so hot? “he seems like a really genuine guy.”

“Good,” Baekhyun nodded, “he likes you too by the way. Said you were really nice when Gran and I had our day date.”

“Well, he left my kitchen without making it look like a flour bomb had gone off, so I didn’t see any reason to get all bitchy on him.”

“Hey! Those explosions were for your own good. Without you deep cleaning my mistakes I have no clue how that place stays clean at all. I bet it’s a breeding ground for bakery germs by now.”

Sehun cackled at the look of true offense on Baekhyun’s face. How he got through speeches like that without cracking, he’d never know. Sehun considered letting the subject drop, but he was morbidly curious.

“You didn’t tell anyone he was coming.”

Baekhyun looked guilty suddenly. He grabbed the sunscreen and nudged Sehun over onto his stomach. They did this sometimes. Reapplied sunscreen to talk about things without having to look at each other. When Sehun had broken the news that he wouldn’t be home for three summers, he’d been sure to put all his weight on Baekhyun’s lower back so he could get through the conversation without having his eyes clawed out. 

“He’s so earnest. All the time,” Baekhyun’s hands pressed into his back in sweeping motions, rubbing the cream in, “When I asked him to come, I really, really wanted him to come. But I got kinda close to breaking up with him a few times. I keep expecting him to get angry with me or have a bad day, but he never does!”

“And that’s a bad thing?” Sehun’s voice was muffled by the towel. 

“No!” Baekhyun sounded frustrated. He probably _was_ frustrated based on how aggressively he was attacking the knot on Sehun’s shoulder. “Okay, maybe?” He slipped off Sehun’s back and flopped over on his own towel. Sehun grabbed the lotion and got to work on Baekhyun’s back. “I just feel like it’s not a real relationship. Like, shouldn’t we fight? Shouldn’t he get annoyed with me? Why doesn’t he ever tell me when he’s pissed or sad?”

Sehun thought for a moment, “So was not telling us a mistake? Or did you want him to realize and get upset with you Baek?”

“I fucking hate how well you know me. You’re such a bitch.” Sehun chuckled and put a bit too much weight on his hands. Baekhyun yelped and threw him off. “Yeah. I think part of it was that I really wasn’t sure he’d be coming. And the rest was just wondering if he’d finally get emotional about _something .”_

“I think you’re the only person I know who’d get upset that their boyfriend wasn’t mad at them.”

“That is not true, and you know it Sehun Oh. We have watched too many romcoms together for you to say such blasphemous things.”

Sehun rolled his eyes, “I think he was upset Baek, I just don’t think he wants to make you worry or feel guilty. He mentioned it when we were together at the bakery, and he definitely seemed unhappy about it then. He stopped smiling for like, a whole 13 seconds. Super unnerving.”

Baekhyun laughed, rolling back up to a sitting position and reapplying sunscreen where Sehun hadn’t. “Ugh, I feel bad for laughing at that. But it’s like dating a Percocet. And I feel guilty for thinking that! What the hell is wrong with me? He deserves someone so much happier.”

“Nothing is wrong with you, maybe a whole summer together was kind of a big jump, but I know you. Once you’ve committed to something, you’ll see it through. And you seem plenty happy when he’s around.”

“What? Oh, he’s not staying here all summer. I think he’s leaving sometime after the fourth? It’s our last summer together jackass, you didn’t think I’d have him tag along for the whole time, did you?”

Sehun blushed. He had thought that actually. It seemed like that was pretty evident from his face because Baekhyun started yelling about sacred bro-bonds and beating him with a boogie board. When Chanyeol came back twenty minutes later, Sehun was still shaking sand from his hair and Baekhyun was wearing a crown he’d made from seaweed. The same seaweed that Sehun had shoved down his pants while he’d had Sehun pinned in the surf rubbing sand in his hair.

~~*~~*~~

The third weekend in June, Chanyeol and Baekhyun took the Jitney back to the city. They were braving the summer heat in Manhattan because Chanyeol had gotten them Broadway tickets for Baekhyun’s birthday since he knew they’d be in New York together. Chanyeol had never been to New York City before, so he and Baekhyun were splitting the cost for a hotel room in lower Manhattan. They would be gone from Thursday morning until Sunday afternoon because they were seeing the Harry Potter play that ran for two nights. Sehun knew they’d have an amazing time, but he kind of hoped something would go catastrophically wrong. 

Because he wouldn’t have much else to do, he told his parents he’d be happy to work the weekend and help Mrs. Byun at the Farmer’s Market. Which is how he found himself at a gingham-clad table under a crappy tent sipping lemonade and tea with an 84-year-old woman. 

To be fair, there were few people he liked better than Mrs. Byun. She looked like the quintessential sweet old lady, but she really had a lot of sass. She was opinionated and stubborn and Sehun couldn’t have asked for a better grandparent stand-in. Both sets of his grandparents lived in Korea, but Mrs. Byun had happily taken over the role. 

They’d been there only an hour when she brought up the elephant in the tent, “I do not think you should give up, Sehun-ah. Baekhyun will grow tired of him.” She patted his hand lovingly. 

“Mrs. Byun!” Sehun looked up startled, “You can’t just say things like that. Baekhyun is happy!”

She frowned at him, “Baekhyun is bored, and I’m an old lady. I can say whatever I like. I could dance around here in my bloomers and no one but you would dare reprimand me.”

Sehun laughed. He had no doubt that she was right (about the bloomers). She usually was. But he refused to dwell on the hope that she was also correct about Baekhyun’s feelings towards Chanyeol. It seemed in poor taste to hope for their relationship to fail while they were off on a romantic weekend. 

He knew it was going well. Chanyeol apparently came from a family with some money because the selfies they kept sending showed restaurants way out of his and Baekhyun’s price range. They’d had lunch at Tavern on the Green, tea at The Plaza, and drinks in a hidden bar in Grand Central Station. He’d gotten pictures of the set of Cursed Child, along with Baekhyun happily holding up a sippy cup of frosé. He knew Baekhyun would take Chanyeol to all the typical museums and parks too. They certainly didn’t seem like a couple growing tired of each other. 

“I’m not going to hold out hope that his relationship ends, Mrs. Byun. That’s just mean. And it isn’t fair to them if they’re happy.”

She glowered at him, “Fine, leave me with Stepford Baekhyun and Happy the Dwarf then.” She looked remarkably pouty for an 84-year-old. 

He grabbed their thermos of tea and topped off her cup, hoping to get back in her good graces. After a few customers had come and gone she seemed a bit more at peace with his lack of a diabolical scheme. 

“You’re wasted here, you know.”

Another happy customer had just left with a pie and half a dozen cinnamon rolls. 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean just that, Sehun. Your parents do well enough without you. But you keep pushing things. Go start your own bakery somewhere more exciting. You’ve helped them, but they don’t need you anymore.”

“What is this? You can’t get me to break up Baek and Chanyeol, so you send me away?” His chuckle sounded strained to his own ears. 

“Honey, you’re too talented to be stuck here. And I love you enough to tell you that. Just, think about it, okay?”

Sehun nodded. He swallowed around the lump in his throat and focused on rearranging their display. He let himself zone out for a bit, restocking their table and making change while Mrs. Byun interacted with the customers. When they were in their last hour, she brought up the holiday he’d been a little worried about.

“What are you three planning for the Fourth of July then?”

“Oh, um, probably just go to a party on the beach? Then stick around for the fireworks.”

“Hmm,” she looked thoughtful; Sehun was instantly on edge. “Romantic, isn’t it? Being with someone in the dark for the firework show…”

“Mrs. Byun,” Sehun was not doing this again. 

“No, dear. You misunderstand me. You should invite someone to keep you company. Seems rather melancholy to tag along without someone to entertain you, don’t you think?”

Sehun paused. He hadn’t thought of that but having another friend with him might make the day a bit more fun. Half the people on the beach would be drunk and looking for one-night stands. Having someone to help fend them off and distract him may be nice. 

“Yeah, that’s actually a really good idea. Thank you!”

“Anytime, Sehun-ah. We both know I’d rather see you with my Baekhyun, but I _do_ want to see you happy either way.”

Sehun grinned, “I’m not likely to bring my future husband along, but thanks. And thank you for, you know. Uh not mentioning my feelings to Baek. It’s really nice.”

She hummed, nodding, “Of course dear. Why don’t you invite that boy you had for Thanksgiving last year? The one with all the muscles? He seemed sweet.”

His smile turned to a bark of laughter, “Please tell me that you’re not going to make a move on my friends, Mrs. Byun. I wouldn’t stand a chance against you!”

“Cheeky,” she muttered, handing a customer a blackberry pie. 

~~*~~*~~

Minseok was only too happy to join them for the Fourth of July. He was one of the guys up in the North Fork. After their first summer vineyard adventure, they had made friends with a small group of boys up there and they usually spent a handful of weekends together over the summers. Apparently, Minseok was dealing with a similar situation. 

“God, you have no idea how glad I am you called,” he said, taking his duffle from the bed of his truck. “Jongin and Kyungsoo are grosser than ever since Jongin spends most of his time dancing in the city. Then Junmyeon and Jongdae started fucking last month but they’re pretending they aren’t and Jongdae has so much shit on all of us that no one will call him out on it and just… Ugh.”

Sehun winced sympathetically. Jongdae was sweet and loyal to a fault, but he was also a pain in the ass. If Chanyeol was a puppy, Jongdae was a kitten. Cute with razor sharp claws. 

“So, what’s your deal? You said we were hanging out with Baekhyun and his boyfriend?”

Sehun nodded, leading Minseok up to his room to drop his things on the floor. “Yeah, Chanyeol. He’s nice, I’m just not up for third-wheeling.”

Minseok nodded, looking like he wanted to say something more. Sehun refused to acknowledge his feelings for Baekhyun around Minseok, so he quickly changed the subject. “I made you the croissants you wanted!”

“With cannabutter?” 

“Yes, you felon, I made you stoner croissants. Now hold up your end of the bargain and fork over the goods.”

Minseok snorted but handed Sehun a bag full of wine from Osprey’s Dominion and Sparkling Pointe- Sehun’s favorite vineyards. 

He also pulled out a couple sandwiches, “should we go carbo load on the beach then?”

Sehun nodded happily. He’d go anywhere Minseok wanted as long as he forked over the Wayside sandwich. 

Sometime in the late afternoon, Baekhyun and Chanyeol joined them on the beach, now fighting their way through a veritable swarm of tourists. They usually avoided the beach at peak hours these days, but Minseok insisted. He lived near rocky beaches with good fishing, so he insisted they spend as much time as possible on the scalding sand and crowded surf. He and Baekhyun planned to spend the last weekend of July fishing and crashing in a tent on Minseok’s parents’ property so… they had to keep him happy. And the bastard knew it. 

~~*~~*~~

In the spirit of keeping Minseok happy, he and Sehun woke up early Saturday morning to stake out some prime beach real estate. There was a spot between two of the cheaper hotels that somehow always attracted young adults, as opposed to families. There were a few other groups of bleary-eyed people in their twenties by the time they got there. Within an hour, half of them had fallen back asleep under the gentle morning sun. Minseok was contentedly munching on one of his croissants. Sehun was a bit disgusted. It had to be getting stale, croissants didn’t keep well overnight. 

At eleven, Baekhyun and Chanyeol showed up, lugging a cooler full of Whiteclaw, sangria, and some revoltingly blue mixed monstrosity that Baekhyun had dubbed Kokobop. 

“It’s patriotic,” he whined when Sehun teased him about it, “See? We have drinks that are red, clear and blue!” Sehun shook his head and reached for a Whiteclaw. It was too early for either of the other options. 

As the day wore on, Minseok got clingier. Sehun wasn’t sure if it was his high, the sun, or just Minseok wanting attention, but he found it was really nice. The year Minseok had joined Sehun for Thanksgiving, they’d wound up having sex nearly every night. They were young and bored and confident that it wouldn’t change their friendship. Sehun was hopeful that Minseok was heading in that direction again today. It hadn’t crossed his mind until he was being used as a pillow, but he could use the distraction. 

In turn, the needier Minseok got, the bitchier Baekhyun became. It was almost a relief to see him moody, he’d been so cheerful all summer it was alarming. But the more Minseok snuggled into him, the more Baekhyun found to whine about. By the time Sehun pulled their dinner out of the food cooler he and Minseok had brought, Baekhyun had picked three unnecessary fights and “accidentally” kicked sand in Minseok’s drink twice. 

By the time it was getting dark, Baekhyun had been cut off from drinking more and he was pretending Minseok didn’t exist. Somehow, Minseok found the whole situation hilarious. He kept trying to offer things to the sulking Baekhyun. Every time his nose twitched in disdain, Minseok’s smile grew and adjusted his position so he was closer to Sehun. Which was how Sehun wound up watching the fireworks with Minseok koala-wrapped around his torso with his hands up his shirt while Baekhyun ripped apart empty cans from where he was using Chanyeol as a human shield. 

The moment the fireworks ended, he and Chanyeol jumped up, declaring the night over. Baekhyun nodded fervently, leaning into Chanyeol’s ear. Sehun heard something along the lines of _rearrange my… with your dick baby_ and he flinched. Minseok took his hand and looked at him with a shocking level of clarity and sympathy. That was almost worse.

They made it back to Sehun’s house by 10. Sehun decided he may as well get some prep work out of the way for his parents. People tended to come in hungover the day after the Fourth. It was likely to be worse tomorrow, as it was a Sunday too. If he could get some things made for them tonight, their morning would be easier. 

One of the reasons he got along well with Minseok was that he was so observant. As he pulled out the pancetta and gruyere from the fridge, Minseok dropped into the stool by the sinks. “You want to talk about it or forget about it?”

Sehun met Minseok’s eyes. If his feelings for Baekhyun hadn’t been glaringly obvious before, he knew they were now. “Forget about it, if that’s okay.”

Minseok nodded and Sehun set to work on the savory focaccia loaves. Minseok was a huge help in the kitchen. He made them drinks when Sehun threw the dough together, then kissed him stupid while it was proving. They had another drink after the cheese and fried pancetta had been kneaded into the dough for the second prove. Minseok caught him up on their friends in the North Fork, and Sehun briefly explained the story of Baekhyun Byun and the Surprise Boyfriend. 

“Have you ever considered leaving?” Minseok asked, once Sehun had the loaves in the oven. 

“What?”

“You know what I mean, don’t play dumb.” Minseok looked stern suddenly, “Your parents ran this place fine without you. Your mom’s pastries are so good now, and your dad’s cakes are way better since you came back. They don’t really need you here now. You saved the bakery, but don’t get stuck here.”

It was a common thing, for kids on the island to get stuck in their parents’ lives or to cut ties and run away. He didn’t want to do either. But even he had noticed how he wasn’t ever in the kitchen with his parent’s anymore. Most of the work he did was superfluous. Like these loaves.

“You and Mrs. Byun conspiring behind the scenes somehow?” Sehun grumbled. 

“She say the same? Feels like that means we’re right, bro.”

“If I say I’ll think about it, will you drop it?”

Minseok smiled, all seriousness draining from his face, “Just make sure you open in Colorado or Washington so you can sell your brilliant canna-creations.”

Sehun snorted and tugged him over for another kiss. He was tired and he was confused, but kissing Minseok was nothing but comfortable. He knew they were on the same page. He was in an open relationship with his boyfriend in California, Yixing. They were ideal friends with benefits. 

That night after Minseok took him apart carefully and thoroughly and Sehun lay panting in his arms, he let himself wonder. He knew part of the reason he was still here was that Baekhyun would always come back, as long as Mrs. Byun lived. But was that really how he wanted to spend his life? 

Minseok went home the next morning, after giving Sehun a very significant look when they walked by the bakery where his parents happily worked without him. Fuck. 

He met up with Baekhyun and Mrs. Byun for lunch, apparently Chanyeol was too hungover to join. He was leaving that night, Sehun was actually a bit sorry that he wouldn’t be able to say goodbye. He hated him on principle, but he was a good guy. Baekhyun spent half the meal glowering at a point above Sehun’s shoulder. When he went to the restroom, he noticed Minseok had left a glaringly obvious hickey on his neck. Double fuck. But it did explain why Mrs. Byun had smiled _that_ brightly when she greeted him earlier.

~~*~~*~~

“I don’t care if it makes me a brat, I don’t want to see Minseok this weekend.”

Sehun ignored Baekhyun, helping him into the cab of his truck, “Stop being such a baby, you love each other.”

“He likes you better. I don’t like favoritism when it’s not in my favor.” Baekhyun pouted. 

“Come on, you big baby. I know you didn’t see them the last few summers without me and I’ve missed being with everyone. Holiday week lunches with half of them don’t cut it.”

Since Chanyeol had left, Baekhyun had returned to his bratty, hyperactive self. It was pretty nice. They were heading up to Minseok’s family place out on the rocky beaches of Southold. They all spent the weekend in tents on the grass in the sparse woods, drinking and smoking and fishing the days away. They had a bonfire on the beach once, but after setting Jongdae’s pants on fire one New Year’s ( _but I was cold, it wasn’t an accident_ ), they’d been relegated to the fire pit in view of the house for this weekend. 

Their friends greeted them with a shower of silly string and empty beer cans tossed at their heads. Sehun made sure none of it got stuck on his truck, then let himself relax into their group dynamic. Baekhyun somehow managed to keep himself between Minseok and Sehun the entire morning. It would have been funny if it wasn’t so obvious that he was still mad. 

Once again, Minseok took Baekhyun’s ire with his usual placid attitude. He still seemed to find it funny. Sehun was glad someone did. Junmyeon seemed concerned but the one time he tried to bring it up, Minseok hushed him and gave him a significant look. Sehun decided it would be better for his sanity to ignore _that._

After lunch Minseok and Junmyeon had everyone pile in their cars, they were going to DD for the group to go wine tasting. When he drank too much, Minseok just wandered off and called Yixing, and Junmyeon worked at one of the vineyards as a marketing representative so neither of them were allowed to drink until that evening anyway. 

They made it through their three favorite vineyards before Jongdae and Baekhyun decided that a trip to the Southold Fish Market was _entirely, completely necessary._ So they all piled back in the cars and went to eat. When they were there, everyone started teasing Baekhyun for not “slumming” with them since he went off to school. Which somehow ended in them all chipping in to buy him a black women’s T-shirt with silver rhinestone lettering that said “Southold Fish Market” in cursive so he could represent their island in the Ivy League. Jongdae wound up buying one for himself just because. 

Baekhyun and Jongdae wore their shirts until the sun slipped beyond the horizon and they started shivering. While they went to change, the others started the fire in the pit and pulled out ingredients for s’mores. Junmyeon and Minseok grabbed a case of beer, Whiteclaws, and a handle of whisky to pass around. They both took three shots chased with marshmallows to catch up to everyone else.

That looked like fun, so everyone decided they needed a marshmallow shot too. Then Minseok caught Sehun’s eye and announced that he’d like to play a drinking game. Sehun suddenly understood why deer could never run before being hit by a car. He couldn’t seem to move at all. He had no clue what Minseok had planned but he knew he was being targeted somehow.

~~*~~*~~

The targeting wasn’t at all subtle. Not even a little. They were playing Never Have I Ever, and it seemed like everyone had come with a victim in mind. Sehun was glad they’d agreed to just sip their drinks, they all had too much dirt on each other for such a pointed game. From what he could tell, Jongin was mad that Kyungsoo had BDSM experience but hadn’t asked if he was interested. Kyungsoo was annoyed at Junmyeon for letting that slip to Jongin. Junmyeon was mad at Jongdae who was still refusing to admit they were sleeping together. Jongdae was hurt that Baekhyun hadn’t made an effort to see him for nearly three years. Baekhyun was pissed that Minseok existed (apparently). And Minseok seemed dead set on getting Sehun to confess to Baekhyun and admit that he wanted to move away. Sehun wasn’t mad at anyone because he hadn’t gotten the memo. Which meant that no one was mad at Jongin. Probably a good thing. Kyungsoo was protective and a little scary when it came to his boyfriend’s feelings. 

They were all eating s’mores and roughhousing as they did their best to maintain the perfect level of being tipsy. Sehun realized this was probably the closest thing to group therapy he’d ever been to. It made a lot of sense, suddenly. Everyone works through their problems as a team. Or well, they’re all teamed up on and can commiserate. 

On Minseok’s last turn, he’d glowered right at Sehun and asked, “Never have I ever used my parents’ bakery as an excuse to never move forward.” After everyone laughed and clamored around asking what he really wanted to do, they’d agreed no more questions _that_ pointed. Sehun was relieved. He’d managed to avoid answering because he really didn’t know, and now Minseok couldn’t be too obvious about Baekhyun if he wanted to be mean. 

Baekhyun had gotten quiet when they’d made the new rule, so Sehun tugged him into his lap. They’d always had an affectionate relationship, so no one blinked twice. Except Minseok, of course. He just raised an eyebrow and wandered off to answer Yixing’s phone call. Baekhyun had changed into a pretty pale blue sweater, and Sehun played with the hem while Baekhyun leaned forward to make more s’mores. 

“Feed me,” Baekhyun insisted, dropping both cookie sandwiches in Sehun’s palm. Who the hell was he to deny him? Baekhyun already had chocolate and marshmallow all over his face, so Sehun wasn’t too worried about making a mess. 

When Minseok came back, everyone yelled at Yixing through the video call for a bit. They gave him a run-down of their day and he apologized for not making it back. They passed the phone around a bit, and when he landed in Sehun’s hands Yixing looked up with a truly wicked smirk. Sehun was tempted to hang up on him. Yixing _never_ looked evil. He was actually one of the most genuinely kind, level-headed, un-wicked people Sehun knew. He gulped. Absently, he noticed that Baekhyun had tensed on top of him too. 

He glanced at both of them through the camera, “Take a shot with me boys?”

Sehun blinked. That wasn’t quite what he expected. But he was happily somewhere between tipsy and sober. No one had let Baekhyun take a shot since he’d make Minseok drink to _never have I ever been a fucking unwanted fourth wheel!_ so he knew they both could have a shot without hitting drunk territory. Minseok brought them cups with a shot of whisky in them and offered to hold the phone so they could clink the camera. 

Sehun felt a creeping sense of foreboding again. He realized Minseok and Yixing had planned something. But, with a shot in his hand and Baekhyun in his lap, he couldn’t really run away. No matter how much he wanted to. Everyone else was looking curiously over at them, even Jongdae had stopped talking to listen in. They clinked their plastic cups to the phone and downed their shots. Yixing waited a beat, then shouted out, “Never have I ever hidden from my best friend that I’m stupidly in love with him!” 

Sehun felt the smile melt off his face. He kind of wished he’d saved that shot for this moment. He heard Baekhyun suck in a sharp breath. He looked up at Minseok, hoping the betrayal was clear on his face. How could he _do this_ to him? But Minseok was already backing away. 

“Just, talk it out. Please. Both of you. For our sake. We’re the ones stuck with you all day tomorrow too. Okay?” He had his hands up in a placating gesture. Sehun glanced around and saw a range of emotions. Kyungsoo looked amused, Jongin sleepy, Jongdae shocked. Sehun knew he’d always liked Jongin best. He worried about himself, dammit. 

Sehun suddenly noticed that Baekhyun was shaking slightly. He took his hand and grabbed a blanket. He scooped up a couple bottles of water and a flashlight and carefully tugged Baekhyun to the bed of his truck. Once they were settled, he opened one of the waters and handed it over. He cracked open the second and took a cautious sip. Their friend’s voices drifted towards them, something about Minseok’s dad owning rope if Kyungsoo and Jongin wanted it for later. 

“So,” Baekhyun started suddenly. They were sitting facing each other, the blanket across their laps. Sehun’s attention snapped back to him. As it always had. “I guess I should tell you that Chanyeol broke up with me on the Fourth.”

“Wait, what? Why?”

Baekhyun looked at him like he was stupid, “Because he realized that I was jealous of Minseok. Jesus, how thick are you?”

Sehun relaxed marginally. If Baekhyun was still this snappy, he wasn’t actually mad. “And you were jealous of Minseok why?”

Baekhyun let out an ugly snort. His sneaker wedged in the corner of the truck bed and he traced the line. “Because the second he showed up, you didn’t care if I was there.”

“Baekhyun, you’ve been my best friend since we were seven. Minseok was there so I wouldn’t have to watch you and Chanyeol suck face during the fireworks.”

“Please. If I was your best friend, then how was Minseok the first person to realize that you’re basically wasting your life at your parents’ bakery.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake! Why is everyone fixating on this now?”

“Because it’s true!” Baekhyun yelled. He glanced down, twisting the hem of his sweater in his hands. “I should have noticed it first. You’re bored. You can’t do the fancy stuff you really like. I’m guessing figuring out stupid Minseok’s stupid weed croissants was the most stimulating thing you’ve done since you left school.”

Sehun hated this. He was right. But worse than that, Baekhyun looked small and shy. Like he had when they had first met over fourteen years ago. As a boy he’d been quiet, but it felt wrong seeing him like that now. 

He reached out and pulled Baekhyun’s hand from the sweater, clasping it in his. “That’s true, but I didn’t believe it when anyone else told me. They didn’t explain it like that. Because you _always_ know how to make me understand,” Baekhyun still looked forlorn. “And if it helps, Minseok was not the first one to notice. Your grandma was.”

It seemed to help. Baekhyun perked up considerably, “Well, she’s basically me. So it’s kinda like I still noticed first.” Baekhyun sniffled a little, wiping his nose with his free sweater paw. 

“Baek, she isn't basically you. She threatened to dance around in her bloomers at the Farmer’s Market this summer. You’re not… oh, wait no… that tracks. Shit”

Baekhyun laughed a little and scooted over to put his head in Sehun’s lap. He didn’t drop their linked hands. “You know it wasn’t just the best friend thing I was jealous of, right?”

Sehun pet through Baekhyun’s hair with his free hand, “Yeah. Yixing and Minseok aren’t exactly subtle.”

“Did you invite Minseok down to visit to make me jealous?”

“No, I’m way too passive for that. I can’t even tell my own parents that I want to leave the bakery. Though I’m suddenly pretty sure they’ve been subtly asking me to leave for a few months now. Actually. Damn, I need to reexamine a few conversations there…” Baekhyun giggled, squeezing his hand, “I think I just wanted to not be alone when I invited Minseok down. That was actually your grandma’s idea too. She said having a buffer may help.”

Baekhyun bolted upright. Sehun had to tip backwards to avoid getting smacked on the chin as Baekhyun whirled around, “She WHAT?!?”

“What the fuck, Baek?” Sehun wiggled around on his back like a turtle for a moment before forcing himself back to sitting. 

“That manipulative bitch,” he seethed, looking a bit wild. “The second, I mean the literal second, I got back from dropping Yeol off at the bus, she asked me if you and ‘that pretty boy with those muscles’ were in item. And she _knew?!?”_

Sehun burst out laughing, “So you’re telling me that your grandma effectively broke you and Chanyeol up and tried to make you jealous of Minseok?”

“That old broad has a lot to answer for when we get home. I swear! She played us both. And when we come back and we’re together, guess who’s going to take all the credit?” Baekhyun’s voice was steadily rising in pitch. Sehun hoped the Kyungsoo-Jongin-bondage conversation was still going strong. He couldn’t actually hear them anymore over Baekhyun. “She will! She’s going to say it’s all because of her that we’re together.”

“If it helps, I think Minseok and Yixing will want to claim some credit too. You know, if we actually end up. Uh, together.”

Baekhyun immediately stopped his ranting. He looked suddenly shy again, “You’re saying we might not?”

“No! I mean, yes? I wasn’t sure if you knew what you were saying.”

Baekhyun paused, he looked thoughtful. As ever, it looked a little he was hungover trying to solve a calculus problem. “I mean, it took me a while to realize it. I don’t think I’d noticed until Chanyeol pointed it out. But it’s always been you, Sehun.”

Sehun nodded. He couldn’t believe they were actually here having this conversation. That he was actually getting what he had always wanted. A chance to be Baekhyun’s. “It’s always been you too, Baek. And I have to say, it’s a little pitiful that I noticed it first. If we’ve learned anything tonight, it’s that I’m oblivious as shit.” Baekhyun laughed, pushing Sehun back so he was lying down again.

“How long have you known?” he asked, clambering on top of Sehun. He brushed his nose along Sehun’s jawline, hot breath puffing against his neck. 

“Four years. I, the summer we were 17 I knew I’d do anything for you. Even if that meant watching you marry the wrong guy.” Baekhyun looked at him, gaze brimming with trust and longing. 

There was a deafening bang and the truck rattled. Baekhyun shrieked and dove behind Sehun. Their friends howled with laughter, shaking the truck between them. Sehun grabbed the open bottle of water by his elbow and flung it blindly. Based on the yelp, it had hit Jongin. Shit.

“I won’t kill you for that but only because angry Baekhyun is terrifying,” Kyungsoo shouted as they all sprinted back towards the fire. 

“It’s always been youuuuu,” Jongdae shrieked, letting the last syllable trail off into a howl. 

“I fucking hate them,” Baekhyun pouted. He was still crouched behind Sehun’s head. 

They rejoined their friends until everyone was ready to turn in. Sehun wanted to go right to their tent and fuck Baekhyun senseless. Or snuggle under the two-person sleeping bag he’d brought. Or plot revenge on their friends. But he knew that they’d be teased worse if they slipped away now. So, they went back to the fire. Sehun contended himself with running his hands teasingly over Baekhyun’s chest and hips beneath his sweater until Junmyeon called it a night for everyone. Baekhyun let his hand graze the outline of Sehun’s dick when they stood up, and Sehun knew they weren’t about to cuddle or plot revenge. 

~~*~~*~~

“Sehun, please,” Baekhyun panted against his lips, grinding against him. They stumbled through the tent flap, frantically tugging on each other’s clothes. Sehun groaned when he got Baekhyun’s shorts unfastened. He shoved them and his underwear down and reached for his cock, “Jesus, Hun, calm down. Let me just…” Baekhyun pushed him back a bit to wriggle out of his clothes. Sehun mirrored him, slipping out of his jeans and boxers, throwing his shirt somewhere behind him. When Baekhyun reached to pull off the sweater Sehun stopped him. 

“Leave it on.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow at him, “what is it with you and this sweater? I feel like you spent half the night staring at it”

Sehun flushed, “Looks a bit like a dress.”

He regretted the words immediately. Baekhyun's eyes flashed dangerously, “You wanna see me in a dress, Hun?” he purred, looking up at him through his eyelashes, “Have you thought about fucking me in fishnets and heels too?” Sehun groaned. He was so weak for the manipulative asshole in front of him. And they both knew it. “What other fantasies have you had about me, baby?”

Sehun bent down and licked into Baekhyun’s mouth. Partly to shut him up, but mostly to remind himself that he _could._ Baekhyun kissed like he did anything else, he gave it his all. He let Sehun lead but licked playfully at his tongue and nipped at his lips when Sehun drew back, chest heaving. He pressed his chest to Sehun’s and reached a hand between them to tug at Sehun’s cock once, twice. Making out on their knees in a tiny two-person tent was hardly ideal, but Sehun would let Baekhyun ride him on a bed of razors to see him like this, flushed and panting. 

“You never answered me, Sehun. I want to know how else you’ve imagined having me.”

Sehun glared at Baekhyun, then lay back on their half-inflated mattress, tugging Baekhyun on top of him. He looked excited and Sehun realized hearing about Sehun’s fantasies may be a turn on. 

Swallowing his pride, he began, “I’d rather have you in a pleated skirt than a dress. One of the ones you see in those teen shows you always made us watch.” Baekhyun rummaged in his bag next to them pulling out a small bottle of lube. Sehun took one glance at the bottle and snorted.

“What?” Baekhyun looked ready to hit Sehun. Sehun couldn’t care less.

“Why the fuck does that bottle say ‘Moist Anal Lube’? Do they offer a _damp_ lube experience as well? A specific variety for people with vaginas?”

Baekhyun blinked at him, “You’re telling me that you have me naked and willing after being in love with me for _four years_ and all it takes to distract you from that is a bottle of lube?”

Sehun giggled, “A really _funny_ bottle of lube. Though, I may have laughed at any lube. Why do you have lube?? You were planning to share this tent with me, right?”

It was Baekhyun’s turn to flush. “I kind of assumed you’d be sleeping with Minseok so I planned to find someone to bring back here. And don’t you _dare_ slut shame me. You’re the one who fucks their friends to make me jealous.”

Sehun laughed, wrapping his arms around Baekhyun, “I wouldn’t mind fucking you in front of them, though. Show them all that you’re mine.” Baekhyun shivered and began mouthing at Sehun’s jawline. “I used to want to cover you in chocolate and lick it off, but you kind of ruined that one when we were 15 and I just thought you were hot.”

Baekhyun squawked, “Just hot?? No sweater sex for you.” He peeled the garment off, carefully setting it on his bag. Sehun wanted to pout, but at least this way he got a fully naked Baekhyun.

“I mean I didn’t realize I wanted to date you yet, dumbass.” Sehun softened the words by grinding up into Baekhyun. He heard the lube bottle click open, but Baekhyun didn’t move otherwise. “I always thought it would be hot to have sex in the kitchen. Have you there prepped and teasing me while I baked, then we’d fuck while it was in the oven or cooling or something.”

“God, you are such a baking nerd. Seriously, you’re lucky the whole working with your hands thing is so sexy.” Baekhyun must have poured some lube in his hand at same point. His hand closed around Sehun’s dick and began slowly working over his length. He shuddered, his hips jerking forward. “You’re so big Hun,” Baekhyun breathed.

“Fuck,” Sehun blindly grabbed at Baekhyun’s free hand to get the lube from him. He rolled them over so he was on top, then poured a liberal amount of lube on his fingers. “I always imagined fucking you in your office. When you’re a bigshot lawyer. You’d be so influential and powerful and I’d be the only one who could see you like that.” Baekhyun let out a shaky exhale and Sehun let his hand reach between his legs, circling his hole. 

“You like this, don’t you baby? Hearing all the ways I want you? Does it make you feel good knowing I’ve spent hours imagining you like this?”

“Yes, Sehun please, faster,” Baekhyun whined, pressing into the finger at his entrance. 

“I had a dream once, that you blew me at the Farmer’s Market. The tablecloth dipped to the ground and you kneeled on the pavement, sucking me off while I dealt with customers,” he pressed his finger into Baekhyun. He gasped, letting his legs fall open beneath Sehun. 

“Faster, please. I don’t care if it stings, I just need you.”

Sehun kissed his nose, moving the finger in and out of Baekhyun faster, “Remember that douchey guy who told you that you looked like a pillow princess our last summer out here? I would have given anything for you to have fucked me right there. Made his dumb ass see what you could do to me.” 

Baekhyun let out a breathy moan, “He was so hot but such a fucking asshole, you’re so much better.”

Sehun pressed a second finger in along with the first. Baekhyun was hot and tight around his fingers, Sehun was fully hard just imagining fucking into him. “I’ve always wanted to fool around on the beach. Sex and sand seems stupid, but all the times I’ve noticed how easy it would be to suck you off without anyone else noticing. You have no idea.” 

Baekhyun was panting with his head tossed back, hands gripping Sehun’s arms, hard. Sehun scissored his fingers. He had never seen anything as beautiful as Baekhyun spread open beneath him, the shitty camp lantern casting shadows onto the top of the tent. 

“Sehun, more. If you aren’t inside me in the next three minutes, I’m going to ask Jongdae to fuck me.” Sehun laughed, pouring more lube onto his hand and adding a third finger. Baekhyun whined, “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“I know, but the needier you get the louder you are. And you want to know my favorite fantasy?” his voice took on a darker timbre. Sehun began scissoring his three fingers, slowly sliding them out and pushing them quickly back in. “Fucking you so well that everyone around us knows just how good I make you feel. Wanna be loud for me baby? So they can all hear you?” Sehun pressed his fingers up, looking for Baekhyun’s prostate. A startled yelp only a few moments later let him know when he’d found it. Baekhyun’s walls clenched around his fingers. 

Sehun grabbed the lube and squirted some on his free hand. He continued teasing around Baekhyun’s prostate and slowly stroked Baekhyun’s cock to full hardness. He was so warm and pliant under Sehun, arching into his touch and pressing back onto his fingers. When he could see him getting impatient again, he slid his fingers out and looked at Baekhyun.

“Condom?”

“No need, you’re a born-again virgin and I was tested with Yeol. We were both clean. And if you mention the fucking fourth wheel outside, I’m kicking you out of the tent. I trust him too.”

Sehun thought a moment, making sure Minseok had confirmed he was completely in the clear. Once his brain caught up, he nodded. Baekhyun grabbed for the lube, slicking Sehun up before tugging him down for a kiss. He let his teeth gently bite down on Baekhyun’s soft lips, reveling in the feeling of his slow, steady strokes along his shaft. Sehun grabbed for Baekhyun’s hand and lined himself up with his entrance. He pressed slowly forward and paused when Baekhyun let out a shuddering gasp. He was hot and tight, and everything felt so incredible.

“Don’t stop, Sehun. Please, I need you so bad.” Sehun grunted in acknowledgement, then pushed himself the rest of the way in in one motion. Baekhyun shouted, eyes flying open and hands scrabbling at Sehun’s arms. “I said to keep going, not to split me open with your monster cock. Fucking goddamn it, Sehun.” Sehun moved to pull back, meaning to slide out a bit. Baekhyun growled up at him, “stay still or I will slaughter you.”

Sehun nodded, focusing on not moving. He could feel his blood pumping and his nerves on fire. Everything in him was begging him to thrust into the heat enveloping him. He opened his eyes and looked down at Baekhyun. He was sucking in shallow breaths, sweat glistening prettily on his skin. His pupils were blown wide and his hair stuck to his forehead in clumps. He still had chocolate smeared by his ear. He had never looked more beautiful. 

“I can practically hear you being mushy and romantic, move before your emotions make me soft,” Baekhyun said, gingerly rocking his hips.

Sehun winced; he was convinced the only reason he hadn’t come just then was because he’d never live it down. “You know you love me and my romantic feelings. But don’t worry. I was just thinking you looked hotter on my cock than I’d ever seen you.”

Baekhyun’s face split into a smile. Sehun planted his hands by Baekhyun’s shoulders and slowly slid out, then pushed back in. He and Baekhyun groaned in unison. He knew he wasn’t going to last long like this. He cautiously picked up a rhythm, doing his best to ignore the overwhelming pleasure surging through him. He felt Baekhyun relaxing his legs around him, spreading them wider and carding a hand through his own hair. Sehun leaned down and captured his lips in another kiss. It was sloppy and lazy. Both of them more focused on the sex.

Sehun grabbed Baekhyun around his shoulders and sat up, Baekhyun taking the hint and rising with him to perch on his lap. He whimpered delicately as Sehun settled deeper inside him. He rolled his hips up as Baekhyun began bouncing lightly on his lap. He knew this angle would be better for Baekhyun and he was determined to get him to finish first. He nuzzled into Baekhyun’s neck, inhaling the sticky sweet marshmallow smell mingling with the campfire and sweat clinging to him. He whimpered as Baekhyun rhythmically tightened and loosened his muscles around him. 

“Fuck, you’re going to make me come baby.”

“’S okay. I’m so close Sehun, so close,” he breathed in his ear. 

Sehun licked the hand that wasn’t supporting Baekhyun in his lap and reached between them to pump Baekhyun’s cock in time with their rising and falling. He focused on the head with every upstroke, twisting his hand around it. Every few strokes he swiped his thumb across the slit. Baekhyun whined and started babbling. 

“Sehun please, just a little more. Yes, so fucking good. You fill me up so good. God you’re so big, I wanna fuck you every day. Please baby, I’m so close I’m gonna. I’m gonna…” his words cut off in a high-pitched whine and he came all over Sehun’s hand and his own chest. Sehun gently lay him back on their wobbly mattress, but Baekhyun wrapped his legs around Sehun’s waist. “Please, finish in me, I wanna feel you come inside me.”

Sehun swore and thrust back in, avoiding Baekhyun’s prostate. Everything was good and tight and hot. He felt incredible. He kept an eye on Baekhyun, in case he started looking uncomfortable, but he just stared back with a dopey blissed out smile. Within a minute or two he was spilling into Baekhyun, biting down on his shoulder to stifle his groan.

He opened his eyes, grabbing for his discarded t-shirt. Grimacing slightly, he slowly eased out of Baekhyun, quickly using the shirt to clean them both up, using some water from his canteen where it was needed. 

“See,” Baekhyun sleepily muttered, “no condom is easier clean up. More environmentally conscientious and all that.”

Sehun carefully turned the shirt inside out and buried it at the bottom of his bag. “Absolutely. You’re my Green Party hero.”

Baekhyun snorted behind him but didn’t bother with a response. He just made grabby hands at Sehun until he joined him back on their poor excuse of a bed. He unzipped the giant sleeping bag they had brought and draped it over them. Baekhyun snuggled his way onto his chest and was asleep within minutes. Sehun sighed happily. He had never let himself fantasize about this part. He was glad, he knew this beat out anything he could have imagined. 

~~*~~*~~

The next morning Baekhyun was adorably needy. He made Sehun bring him his clothes (from 18 inches away). They settled around the fire pit nibbling on protein bars and apples, Baekhyun snuggled in on Sehun’s lap. One by one the other tents emptied out and the others joined them. Jongdae glanced over at them with a demonic glint in his eye. Sehun tensed up, he knew that look. It never meant good news for the people it was directed at.

“I was kind of bummed not to get you in my tent last night Baekhyun,” he said with a smirk. Baekhyun turned to focus on Jongdae as Sehun’s arm tightened around his waist. “I gotta say, hearing Sehun’s fantasies was pretty good foreplay but you broke your promise.” Baekhyun was flushed scarlet. Sehun was ready to attempt spontaneous human combustion. He’d forgotten that they were in a tent surrounded by other people in tents last night. “You promised to come find me after three minutes, remember? Kyungsoo timed it, it took him nearly four minutes to start fucking you.”

Jongin giggled from his perch on Kyungsoo’s lap, “We thought about telling you, but Soo was worried if we tried to stop you, you’d go another four years without sex.”

“And no offense,” Kyungsoo added, pressing his nose into his boyfriend’s hair, “you both looked like you needed to get laid.”

Sehun braced himself. Jongdae had a talent for making people squirm. He could be merciful, but he usually had more fun teasing people to their absolute limits. It was one of the reasons they weren’t as close as they could be. Junmyeon kicked Jongdae from his folding chair.

“Give it up, asshole. Just because you didn’t get any doesn’t mean you should mock those who did. Besides. I thought you liked Baekhyun. You don’t want to scare him away again, do you?”

“Fine,” Jongdae said, sighing dramatically. “I’m willing to maybe let this drop if you promise to send pictures of Baekhyun in that pleated skirt. Nothing pervy or nude or anything. But it could be a fun way to include us in your exhibitionism kink…”

Minseok nodded sagely. Baekhyun looked ready to flee back into their tent, or to New Haven, but he swallowed and nodded his head, “Only if you promise to tell me I’m pretty,” he squeaked out. Sehun had honestly never seen him so shy before. It was sweet, especially since he could tell he wasn’t truly uncomfortable. Minseok looked like he wanted to add something, but he caught Sehun’s eye and bit his lip instead. Sehun vowed to bake him a gift basket full of pot pastries next chance he got. 

Apparently, after he and Baekhyun had fallen asleep, Jongin and Kyungsoo had been pretty loud too. Jongdae gleefully turned his attention to them when no one else chimed in about Sehun and Baekhyun. Sehun huffed out a relieved sigh. He knew he’d said some pretty dirty and corny things, he was glad he didn’t get a more thorough mocking from them. Especially when a lot of his fantasies had been about exhibitionism in some way. 

They spent Sunday fishing on the Kim’s boat and took a bunch of cheesy pictures as a group. After they told everyone how involved Mrs. Byun had been in them getting together, Junmyeon and Jongin bullied them into taking cute coupley photos to print out for her. They managed to get a few of every couple, and Minseok was a good sport and even took a few with his phone. Then Sehun dragged Minseok in for a photo with him and Baekhyun just for laughs. He thought Mrs. Byun would appreciate it. They went to a drugstore and got a few developed, then went back to drink the wine they’d bought the day before. Minseok and Kyungsoo obliterated everyone in wine pong. 

That night, he and Baekhyun had sleepy sex before bed. Sehun held him afterward and let himself imagine that this could be the rest of his life. If they survived long distance while Baekhyun finished up school. 

~~*~~*~~

When they got back to Amagansett on Monday morning, Mrs. Byun insisted they spend the day with her. Sehun knew it was because she was gloating and nosey and she wanted to drive home her point that Sehun’s parents didn’t need him. It was sort of overkill, but she promised to make them whatever they wanted for lunch. They played cards, walked along the beach, and helped her garden in the morning. After they had scarfed down several helpings of her famous homemade mac ’n cheese, they gave her the pictures they’d printed for her. 

Unexpectedly, she started gently crying. She went off to her hall closet and came back holding a box full of photo books. She shuffled quickly through them, pulling out a newer one and handing it to them. She pulled her chair over and sat down in the space between them. Sehun set the leather book on her flowery table cloth and opened it. 

It was their friendship. She had captured every moment of their story and preserved it in the pages of an album. From what Sehun could tell, she hadn’t missed a memory. Their first dinner together, when Baekhyun had looked startled to be accepted so readily into a new family. The sand castle they had built that looked like a penis and had made their families laugh until they cried. Them posing with the boogie board that they had carved bite marks in, to scare tourists. Countless images of them as specks in the surf, bodysurfing or floating on the current. Candid shots of them wrestling on the beach, laughing wildly. A terrible selfie, their faces out of focus with the sand and the surf behind them. Their pride flags, so covered in glitter the colors were muted. 

Every emotion that his summers with Baekhyun had ever stirred in him was splashed across the pages of this album. And he knew how Mrs. Byun had always been so sure of them as a couple. Other kids made appearances here and there, but they always faded away without disrupting the tone. But a page near the end, showing photos from the summers when Sehun was still in school, seemed out of place. Discordant. He turned to the first empty page and slid the pictures from their weekend into place. He blinked back tears and reached for Mrs. Byun’s hand on the table. Baekhyun reached over too. 

They spend a few moments, squeezing their hands together before Mrs. Byun flipped back to a page showing a bake sale they had held nearly a decade ago. They had decorated their little booth and made a store sign and everything. They’d named it Honey Byun Bakery. Sehun grinned. He knew the next several years would be painfully hard at times. Baekhyun had to finish undergrad and make it through law school. And Sehun? Well, he had a business to plan.

**Author's Note:**

> Whew! Told you it wasn't that dramatic, right? 
> 
> I kinda wrote two versions of this and smushed the best parts together to give you this... the one thing I'm devastated that I couldn't work in is the Montauk Monster. It was a real news thing that happened in 2008 in July, and if anyone wants to see a drabble about our boys trying to figure out what it is before the scientists do, please let me know! I'm considering reworking that scene and posting it after the reveals and fest are over as a separate thing.
> 
> Please please please tell me if you like it! Comments and/or Kudos are always amazing! I love writing for fests but encouragement really helps authors want to keep creating. 
> 
> Everywhere from Sparkling Pointe to the Clam Bar that I mentioned in this fic exists irl. If anyone from Long Island has corrections for me to make- lmk! But I've spent a decent amount of time in both towns I highlighted here, so I really hope I got the feeling across.
> 
> If you want to find me on Twitter, I'm @RoseCallisa come play!


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